Bangladesh : the path to middle income status from an urban perspective / Elisa Muzzini and Gabriela Aparicio.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Muzzini, Elisa, 1975-

Contributor:

Aparicio, Gabriela.

World Bank.

Series:

Directions in development (Washington, D.C.). Countries and regions

Directions in development : countries and regions

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Urbanization--Bangladesh.

Urbanization.

Urban policy--Bangladesh.

Urban policy.

Economic development--Bangladesh.

Economic development.

Bangladesh--Economic conditions.

Bangladesh.

Economic conditions.

Physical Description:

xiii, 131 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : World Bank, [2013]

Summary:

By 2021, the 50th anniversary of its independence, Bangladesh seeks to attain middle-income status. To accelerate growth enough to do so, Bangladesh needs to build a competitive urban space that is innovative, connected, and livable. Bangladesh: The Path to Middle-Income Status from an Urban Perspective investigates the drivers and obstacles to creating a competitive urban space by focusing on one of the country's most successful industries: the garment sector. In analyzing a survey of 1,000 garment firms, this study reveals that Bangladesh's urban areas are falling behind in all the three drivers of competitiveness - innovation, connectivity, and livability. Dhaka City, its capital, is the country's most productive location for garment firms. Yet, it is falling behind in accessibility and livability because of high congestion and severe constraints in its land and housing markets. And Dhaka City currently lacks the economic diversity that is expected in a metropolitan area of its size. Emerging manufacturing centers in the surrounding peri-urban areas suffer from Dhaka City's congestion and their own low access to infrastructure. Chittagong City has failed to capitalize on its comparative advantage as the country's largest seaport. And Bangladesh's small and medium-size cities remain uncompetitive "distant places," lacking the environment needed to foster local entrepreneurship. To meet its goal of reaching middle-income status by 2021, Bangladesh will need to transform Dhaka into a globally-competitive metropolitan area, leverage Chittagong City's seaport advantage, promote strategically located export processing zones, and enable local economic development in small and medium-size cities. Bangladesh: The Path to Middle-Income Status from an Urban Perspective aims to foster timely policy dialogue among decision makers in the government, private sector, and civil society on the policy directions that will enhance the growth and sustainable development of Bangladesh's cities. Book jacket.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Introduction 11

The Path to Middle-Income Status from an Urban Perspective 11

The Importance of a Competitive Urban Space for Growth 12

Organization of the Study 12

Notes 14

References 14

Chapter 2 Bangladesh's Urban Space Today: Implications for the Growth Agenda 15

Introduction 15

Rapid Urbanization Accompanied by Strong Economic Growth 16

Exceptionally High Population Density 19

Primacy of Dhaka 20

Concentrated Economic Production and Low Economic Density 22

Specialization in Low-Value-Added, Labor-Intensive Garment Production 25

Peri-Urbanization of Garment Employment in Metropolitan Dhaka 26

Extremely Poor Infrastructure, Low Level of Services, and Lack of Amenities 29

Persistent, Albeit Declining, Regional Disparities in Welfare 31

Benchmarking Bangladesh's Urban Features 32

Notes 37

References 38

Chapter 3 Envisioning the Future: A Competitive Urban Space for Growth 41

Introduction 41

Urbanization, Urban Economic Density, and GDP: The Productivity Advantage of Urban Areas 42

A Bird's Eye View of a Middle-Income Bangladesh: "Taller Mountains" and "More Hills" 43

Bangladesh's Journey to Middle-Income Status from an International Perspective 44

Notes 48

References 48

Chapter 4 The Economic Growth Drivers of Urban Areas 51

Introduction 51

The Economic Base of Urban Areas 53

The Economic Geography of the Garment Sector 58

Notes 65

References 65

Chapter 5 Drivers of and Obstacles to Urban Competitiveness from the Perspective of the Garment Sector 67

Introduction 67

Dhaka City 69

Peri-Urban Areas of Metropolitan Dhaka 78

Chittagong City 81

Export Processing Zones 84

Small and Medium-Size Cities 86

Notes 88

References 88

Chapter 6 Strategic Directions for Building a Competitive Urban Space in a Global Economy 91

Introduction 91

A Transform Dhaka into a Globally Competitive Metropolitan Area 94

B Leverage Chittagong's Natural Comparative Advantage as a Port City 100

C Develop Strategically Located Export Processing Zones to Strengthen Competitiveness and Spearhead Urban Reforms 101

D Develop an Enabling Environment for Local Economic Development in Small and Medium-Size Cities 101

Note 103

References 103.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780821398593

0821398598

OCLC:

822895889